Julia Goerges talked about her retirement

Just a few weeks ago Julia Goerges said goodbye to professional tennis, after a career that has nevertheless given her excellent satisfactions, titles and good placings.

In a long interview with the WTA Insider Podcas, the German talked about several topics. She said: "It wasn't a sudden decision, I've been thinking about it for a few months. The original plan was to quit around the age of 30, so I was able to play a little more than expected. More generally, however, I also learned about the world outside of tennis. Especially at this moment, because of what is happening, I had to start seeing that there is something else in life as well.

I have been part of the WTA Tour for 15 years and have given up on so many things I wanted to do, so I think it's time to spend more time with family and friends. It doesn't mean that I will leave the game completely, just that I will no longer participate in competitions. I am continuing to train, but without the stress of travel and tournaments. The fact is that I have always felt this need to improve myself and to go out on the pitch every day to work hard. At one point, however, I started having fun playing for a maximum of three or four days in a row, while maybe the rest of the week I preferred not to pick up the racket and concentrate on physical preparation.

From a certain point of view it helped me, because I hit better by playing less and I was able to recharge myself more mentally. On the other hand, however, I realized that I could not continue with this regime for the whole year, because I would not be able to reach the level I had set for myself. The level is much higher now than it was five or seven years ago, and so it wouldn't make sense to continue just to remain a Top 100, because if I do something I want to do it 100 or 110 percent. 

Julia Goerges' long interview

When I started playing I was also swimming and dancing, so at some point I had to decide whether to try to become a pro or not. I will always be grateful to my parents for giving me this chance, without them I would not have made it. I never thought I'd reach certain goals, it had always been just a dream for me. I think I have proved a lot, as I have managed to recover from a series of difficult years and reach the Top 10 and the semifinals in a Grand Slam.

When I won in Stuttgart in 2011 I needed a wild card, because I was N.36 or something like that but the tournament has always had a very high level, and therefore even a ranking like that was not enough to enter the draw! I had played in the Fed Cup the previous week with Andrea Petkovic, I think against the United States, and that competition is always very tiring, especially if you play in front of your audience and immediately after that you have to go to the most important tournament in Germany.

I was also a bit lucky because Vika Azarenka retired in the second round, and later on I managed to win some very tough matches like the semifinal with Stosur, against whom I went down 0-30 or 0- 40 on 5-5 on the third. So there were so many pivotal moments. As for the final with Caroline, I think I made some good tactical choices, and then my game always worked against her. I guess she never liked facing me, and we've had some great battles. it's not normal to have so many strong players in the same period, so don't put too much pressure on who will come, especially if she were a solo player."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/32GETKv